


Tension

by Onehelluvapilot



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Ambiguous Relationships, Episode Related, Episode: s03e12-13 The Coming of Arthur, Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, Hurt Lancelot, Hurt/Comfort, Major Character Injury, Season/Series 03
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2020-06-15 20:55:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19627594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onehelluvapilot/pseuds/Onehelluvapilot
Summary: Merlin and Guinevere tend to Lancelot's injury after the immortal army is defeated.





	Tension

"If you can, Lancelot, you should try to relax," Merlin counseled. The newly minted knight lay on his stomach, bandages pressed firmly against the deep slash wound in the back of his shoulder. "It'll allow the bleeding to stop faster."

With one hand against Lancelot's bare shoulder, the young healer felt as he shifted to try to make himself more comfortable on the hard wooden table. It was a little better, but much of the tension remained in his muscles.   
Maybe he just needed a little time to calm down. 

It had not been long since they'd defeated the immortal army and retaken Camelot. Gaius was now tending to the King, which left Merlin to patch up the injured knights. Elyan sat a little ways away, hands clamped tightly around his injured arm. Gwen sits beside her brother, preparing a poultice to be applied once the wound stops bleeding. She makes enough for Lancelot as well. Other than the four of them, the physician's chambers were miraculously empty, as the battle had drawn few casualties.

Also miraculously, neither of the injured knights are too badly off either. It doesn't take long for their wounds to stop bleeding, and Elyan's doesn't even need sutures. Lancelot, however, is not as lucky.

"Lance, I can't put stitches in while you're so tense. You'd just tear them out as soon as you moved," Merlin explained. He felt as the knight tried again to relax, which lasted for about one breath before he tensed up again.

Lancelot huffed out a frustrated sigh. "I'm sorry, Merlin. It isn't that I don't trust you-" 

"It's alright," the young healer was quick to assure him. "I know. Do you need something for the pain?"

"No, it isn't too bad," he insisted, and Merlin struggled to imagine what would be too bad if a five inch gash slashed through his chainmail and skin wasn't. "I think I'm just not used to being somewhere safe enough to let my guard down. Most places, I've found, people sickness and injury as a good opportunity to rob one of what little they possess."

"Well, nobody here would dare rob a knight of Camelot," Merlin assured him. "Well, except me, perhaps, but I won't."

"We'll look after each other now," Elyan agreed. His sister was finishing up bandaging his arm.

"Now, try not to use this arm too much for the next few days, and make sure the bandages stay clean," Gwen instructed, giving her brother's arm a friendly pat.

"I will. Thanks," Elyan gave them all a nod as he left the room.

"Gwen, can you give me a hand here?" Merlin asked. Lancelot had not relaxed while he'd been applying the poultice, and he had a sneaking suspicion that the maid's presence might help.

She doesn't need to be told what to do. She sees her instructions in Merlin's eyes as he silently nods to her, and in the tense line of Lancelot's shoulders. One small, calloused hand slips into his; the other rests between his shoulder blades. She sits on the bench beside him, her chest near to his waves of hair, and very gently draws his right hand down so that his arm hangs limp beside the table. The movement must be painful, as he winces, but then his muscles go soft as he's finally able to relax. Merlin's skinny hands are deft and gentle as he stitches the wound on his friend's shoulder together. Lancelot is asleep even before he's done bandaging it. Gwen covers him with a blanket before the two servants leave to go find their prince. They all knew and accepted that if it came down to it, Lancelot would always come second to Arthur. Today, though, he didn't have to.

**Author's Note:**

> I love getting feedback about my work


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